TRENTON — Around 10 a.m. Friday, Angel Wells and her 8-year-old son Prince Jacobs were in Westside Pharmacy on North Hermitage Avenue when an unknown police officer walked into the store and asked the woman if she had children. Wells didn’t know what to think of the man’s question; she was actually a little scared.

But she explained to the officer that her only child was there in the pharmacy with her. And then the man asked her to step outside.

“I don’t know if he was Trenton Police,” Wells said in a conversation Friday. “He wasn’t wearing the normal Trenton Police uniform; it was just all black.”

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While outside, the officer reached into an unmarked, black SUV and then handed Wells a toy and said, “Tell your son ‘Merry Christmas.’”

“It made my year!” Wells said.

Wells, who was born and raised in Trenton, cried tears of joy. Then she walked back into the pharmacy to share the good news with her son. The officer then followed Wells inside and asked why she was crying.

“I told him I couldn’t believe it,” Wells said. “No one has ever done anything like that for my baby. I was shocked.”

The officer then went back outside, grabbed another gift from his vehicle, and then handed it to the child inside the store.

“He was so excited,” Wells said of her son’s reaction. “He was like, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Store employees who witnessed the random act of kindness were equally overwhelmed.

Witnesses say they’ve seen the officer before, but no one knows his name or whether he works for Trenton Police.

“It was definitely heartfelt,” Ettman said. “I didn’t think that there were people like that still left in the world, especially in this area. You don’t see that a lot. It was very nice to know that there is still some Christmas spirit out there.”

Wells said the officer’s kindness reminded her that the small things in life matter most.

“I really appreciate the officer’s kindness,” Wells said. “The small things mean so much in life, and that really meant a whole lot to me and my baby.”

About the Author

Penny Ray has worked in media for the past 14 years. His career began in radio broadcasting, and most recently he served as editor of Homicide Watch D.C. Reach the author at pennyray@trentonian.com
or follow Penny on Twitter: @Penny_Ray.